EDITOR WES RAYNAL: This car is pricey but good. The excellent engine has little to no turbo lag. The brakes are awesome; the body is nearly perfectly controlled. I don't remember better steering, and the car just feels so tight and fluid.

Build quality is top-notch, and the controls feel substantial. As lovely as the car is to drive, I just can't get my head around a $50,000-plus 3-series, though the more I think about it, it's probably worth it.

MOTORSPORTS EDITOR MAC MORRISON: I'm starting to run out of new things to say about BMW's venerable 3-series, and the latest 335i sedan lives up to the ongoing tradition of oneness between driver and machine that you probably expect to hear about every time you read a review of this car. I don't blame you if you also feel like throwing up while you mutter, "Oh, gee, big surprise, journalists love the 335. I'm stunned."

Hold that yawn a minute, though. This refrain might be tiresome, but there's no disputing its accuracy. Maybe you can find some things to moan about when it comes to the 335's looks and proportions, but as usual, that's a matter of subjective taste. Fire up the 3.0-liter turbocharged I6, and that all tends to go away. This is definitely a driver's car, and in reality, it provides all the performance you could really ever need or even ask for in a road car. Sure, step from a Nissan GT-R or a Mercedes-Benz SLS into this BMW (as I was extremely, extremely fortunate enough to do) and obviously there's a big difference. But interestingly, rather than highlighting the things the 335 can't do, I started to instead look at those other two super machines with somewhat wary eyes. Certainly they amaze, and who wouldn't want such a car if you could afford it? I would, but the truth is that those cars are overkill in the real world.

The 335i sedan, however, is a spot-on concoction of practicality, livability and drivability. The new single, twin-scroll turbo that replaces the twin turbos on last year's model produces even less lag, with peak torque coming 200 rpm sooner than before, at a mere 1,200 rpm. And the torque stays at full value all the way to 5,000 rpm, which is only 800 revs sooner than the level at which the engine makes its maximum power, at 5,800. So you have an incredibly elastic powerband almost from the second you open the throttle all the way to redline. It's just an excellent powertrain.

The handling, too, is laudable, especially with the optional sport suspension. As always, the steering feel and precision is world-class. The shifter works well enough and is pretty quick. However, I continue to wish BMW would actually shorten the throws a little bit and give it a more positive feel in my hands. That's one thing that, say, Acura's TSX does noticeably better than the BMW.

One thing I thought to myself: This test car has $10,000 worth of options attached. If I were going to spend $51,000 on a 3-series, I'd probably get the extra performance of the 335is, which starts at about the same price as this car's as-tested price. I think I'd be happier with a base 335is than I would be with a loaded-up 335i. But that's just me.

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR CHERYL L. BLAHNIK: I had this car over the weekend, and it reinforced the feelings that I've had for years about the 3-series: If I had a garage, this would be in it. The only thing that makes me hesitate is the sticker price, but I'm sure I could knock off some of the extras to make it work.

With that being said, I'm a huge fan of the size of this car. I like that it's not too compact, but you're not in a boat either. The car looks sporty even when it's not moving. The interior is simple and not over the top, and I thought the use of materials was really good and fit and finish is spot-on.

OK, you want a weak spot? Maybe the cupholders could be less wimpy, but I'm not going to let a cupholder dictate whether I'm going to buy a car. Even for this being a small car, I had plenty of room on the weekend to fit my niece in her booster chair behind me.

This car is spot-on when it comes to the drive. It is responsive and has no problem getting up to speeds quickly with the potent turbocharged I6 and six-speed manual. It's a blast to drive and would make commuting much more fun if I drove this car everyday. The car drives like it has a soul, and that's something I don't find much in cars anymore--it really is a driver's car. I think this is the reason I get a big grin on my face when I find out I get to drive a 3-series home. Maybe one day I'll do so permanently.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: You need to log a few miles behind the wheel of a 3-series to have a baseline of how a sports sedan is supposed to feel. There is nothing to change here. The steering is spot-on. The clutch take-up and shifter are what other companies should strive for. The brakes are merely outstanding. The six-cylinder pulls hard right up to redline.

My only issue with this car is the $50,000 price.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Sometimes it's easy to forget about how good BMW's 3-series is--especially in 335i guise. There's a strong contingent of cars that have been gunning at the Bimmer to dethrone it from the top of the mountain, but from a driver's standpoint, nobody has been able to pull that off just yet. I will admit this generation 3-series is getting a little long in tooth. Parked next to the fresher Audi A4, the BMW does look a little tired.

However, strap in behind the steering wheel, push the start button, and hang on. The eager force-induced engine has power everywhere, and the six-speed manual gearbox provides fluid shifts. I would prefer slightly shorter strokes, but it's a minor complaint.

What's always the most impressive thing about the 3-series (or nearly every BMW for that matter) is the balance the chassis exhibits. BMW engineers are masters at doing a suspension which not only keeps the car planted in all situations but remains comfortable enough when you're just cruising along. One thing that you will notice over larger bumps with this sport suspension is that it will tend to hop a bit and upset the chassis briefly, but it easily gathers itself up and continues in your desired trajectory.

The weighty steering feel and quick response are things any driver will be grateful for. Brakes are strong with good pedal placement for going down a few gears to set up for corners. Throttle response from the force-induced I6 is OK.

Like the outside of the car, the interior is getting a little tiresome to look at, but at it's core, the 335i is head-and-shoulders above any other car in its class when it comes to drive dynamics. That alone helps this thing age so gracefully.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR--AUTOWEEK.COM BOB GRITZINGER: This is the kind of car that makes an everyday commute, or even a quick errand, an enthusiastic journey. For the nearsighted in our reading public, it's like getting a new pair of specs with a stronger prescription--all of sudden the world seems crisp and wonderful again. Or for skiers, it's like strapping on a fresh set of boards and rediscovering how enjoyable the sport can be when your edges are sharp and the skis are responsive. The BMW 3-series is the automotive equivalent--allowing the driver to detect every nuance in the powertrain and chassis, to feel the slightest changes in road surface and friction, to be at one with a car unlike any other car.

All that, and a package that looks handsome but doesn't scream, "Hey! Look at me!" This is a very workmanlike sports sedan, very capable, extremely precise, highly intuitive, and it is never out of sorts or harsh.